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House Bill 533 |
House Author: Anchia et al. |
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Effective: 6-19-09 |
Senate Sponsor: Van de Putte |
House Bill 533 amends provisions of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code relating to the civil liability for the trafficking of persons. The bill makes a defendant who engages in the trafficking of persons or intentionally or knowingly benefits from participating in a venture that traffics another person liable to the person trafficked for damages arising from the trafficking or venture. The bill establishes that it is not a defense to liability that the defendant has been acquitted or has not been prosecuted or convicted in a criminal proceeding for the trafficking of persons, or has been convicted of a different offense or of a different type or class of offense, for the alleged conduct involving trafficking persons. The bill sets forth the damages required to be awarded to a claimant who prevails in a civil liability trafficking suit, establishes that a cause of action created by the liability for trafficking of persons is cumulative of any other remedy provided by common law or statute, and establishes that a person found civilly liable for the trafficking of persons or liable under other law for any amount of damages arising from the trafficking is jointly liable with any other defendant for the entire amount of damages arising from the trafficking.